Notice of Post-Graduation Opportunities Information Packet
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has partnered with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) and other statewide stakeholders to develop the organization of resources on LEO’s Pathfinder resources page to comply with the requirements of MCL 380.1293 (Public Act 88 of 2022), post-graduation opportunities informational packet, which is now available.
Pathfinder is an online career exploration and planning tool to help increase the number of Michigan residents with high-quality, in-demand degrees and credentials by providing information to students to make informed choices about educational and career options. As such, it houses the compilation of resources and in so doing creates a centralized location for decision-making information.
The utilization of Pathfinder and the organization of these resources support all intermediate school districts (ISDs) and local educational agencies (LEAs), both traditional public school districts and public school academies, as well as nonpublic schools, in their efforts to engage students and their families in the creation and continued review of Educational Development Plans (EDPs).
A robust EDP includes career exploration. The enhanced Pathfinder resources are organized to help students and their families review college information, find financial aid information, secure a job, serve their community or country, assess their skills if unsure of their path, and explore opportunities to earn college credit or receive training while in high school.
In compliance with MCL 380.1293, MDE has produced a post-graduation opportunities informational packet by August 1, 2023, and will do so by not later than August 1 each year thereafter.
The law also requires that by not later than October 1, 2023, and by not later than October 1 each year thereafter, the board of a school district or intermediate school district, board of directors of a public school academy, or governing body of a nonpublic school shall ensure that the superintendent or chief administrator, as applicable, of each school operated by the board, board of directors, or governing body provides, in electronic form or non-electronic form, the post-graduation opportunities informational packet made available to the school district, intermediate school district, public school academy, or nonpublic school under subsection (1) to each pupil enrolled in any of grades 8 to 12 in the school district, intermediate school district, public school academy, or nonpublic school.
Additional information to support the implementation of the post-graduation opportunities informational packet is available on the MDE website. Please also consider downloading LEO’s Pathfinder promotional toolkit, which will provide suggestions for sharing these resources with students, parents, counselors, and educators to meet the requirements of MCL 380.1293.
Questions or comments regarding the post-graduation opportunity information packet may be sent to Ann-Marie Mapes, Special Assistant in the Division of Educator, Student, and School Supports at MapesA@michigan.gov or Amanda Stoel, Special Assistant in the P-20 System and Student Transitions Division at StoelA@michigan.gov.
cc: Michigan Education Alliance
Confederation of Michigan Tribal Education Departments
Download the full memorandum here.
